


Unforseen

by deanandsam



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean's son, Future Fic, Gen, Mystery, Sam's son - Freeform, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-06-10 11:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15290778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deanandsam/pseuds/deanandsam
Summary: Seventeen-year-old Matthew Richardson has a recurring dream about an anonymous house.Once the dreams give him information enough to search out the building, the teen goes off to investigate and finds more than he could ever have expected.





	1. Chapter 1

The kid made his way through the suburbs, composed of well-kept family homes, searching for the one he'd seen in his dreams.

He'd no idea why he should've had an insistent, recurring, dream about the self-same house, one he'd never seen before. Worse, he'd begun to feel scared at the way his mind delivered an identical image every night.

:::::::::::::::::::::::

He'd debated on confiding in his mom, but she'd just have shrugged him off, classifying it as some adolescent wet-dream or some such, but Matt wasn't in the least convinced.

It seemed as if the house was calling to him, waiting.

But only with the static image, there was no way Matt could ever identify the area. Maybe, as what his mom would've said, it was nothing more than a singular dream of no importance.

:

That all changed a couple of nights later when the image in his dream zoomed in on the front door and an address became visible.

Matt had woken, a sheen of sweat sticky on his body. It was as if the frigging dream was teasing him, adding a useless second piece to the puzzle. The address was far too generic without the addition of a town.

But not too many nights later, the puzzle completed itself with the appearance of a car in the driveway, a banner with the name of a city stuck on the rear window - Springfield, Missouri.

:

For Matt, that had clinched the matter.

A couple of days later, instead of heading for school, he'd packed his back-pack with a couple of bottles of water and some snack food, pocketed his meagre savings and bought a bus ticket for Dallas, on the first leg of his journey to Missouri.

He left a note for his parents, telling them not to worry.

This was something he needed to do and he'd call them in a day or so.

::::::::::::::::

So here he was, after an exhausting bus journey, finally standing in front of the house he'd seen so often in his mind.

He was having second thoughts for the umpteenth time, wondering if he'd done the right thing running off to follow the diktat of some weird dream - not to mention what he'd have to face from his mom and dad when he went back.

Well, he was here now and the sooner he worked out the mystery, if there was any, the sooner he'd get home.

His curiosity egged him on, and he made his way up the path to the front door.

The car he'd seen in his dream was parked in front of the garage door - a dated Ford of some kind. Matt wasn't particularly into cars, so he couldn't be more precise on the model.

At seventeen he was concentrated on getting good grades for entry into a decent college, though he hadn't decided what kind of career he was aiming for yet.

:

Hovering at the front door, he looked around. The place seemed to be a perfectly normal family home, well-kept and cheerful with colourful flower-beds and nicely-trimmed lawns.

'Well, here goes nothing,' Matt murmured to himself, pressing the doorbell.

He heard the tread of footsteps as someone approached from the other side of the door. Matt took a step back when a young guy opened it

'Yeah?'

'Uh...' Matt babbled, not knowing what to say. It wasn't as if he could tell him he was here because he'd dreamt of the house.

'You a friend of Dale's?'

'Uh...Yeah.' Matt replied, nodding his head energetically.

'Well, he's not here right now. Shouldn't be long till he gets back though. Want to come in and wait?'

'No, it's fine. I'll hang out here until he gets back. Study up on my maths.' He pointed awkwardly to the wooden bench on the sidewalk.

With a nod, the door was closed in his face and Matt made his way thoughtfully down towards the seat, collapsing onto it, more confused than ever. Why on earth was he dreaming about this frigging house?

But it wouldn't be long until his question had an answer in the form of a tall kid strolling along the sidewalk towards him.

As if a radar has begun to beep in his head, Matt studied the approaching figure. This is why you're here his mind told him. You're here for him.

:

Getting to his feet, Matt wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans, before taking a step forward.

'Erm... You must be Dale.'

'That's right. Who's asking?'

Once again Matt found himself at a loss as far as an explanation was concerned, so he just came out with the truth.

'I'm Matthew Richardson, Matt to my friends, and I'm here because I dreamt about you.'

:

Dale raised an eyebrow. 'Sorry, kid. I don't swing that way, and definitely not with skinny little dudes like you!'

Matt's cheeks suffused with pink. 'No. That's not what I meant. It wasn't you I dreamt about. It was the house.'

'You gotta have better things to dream about than a house, dude. I'm talking about girls!' Dale gave an amused smile.

:

With an exasperated huff, Matt sighed. 'I'm making a real mess of this. Can we go for a soda or something and I'll try to explain.'

Dale was asking himself why he was even considering the idea of wasting time with a boy he'd never seen before in his life, yet he was intrigued. Moreover, the kid looked tuckered out.

'Fair enough. I can give you ten minutes of my time, then you go your way and I mine.'

:::::::::::::::::

Both ensconced at the table of a nearby diner, Matt launched into his tale, describing his dreams and their conclusion with Dale's address.

'After nights of the same stuff, I had to see if there really was a house at this address and if it was the one in my dreams. When I knocked at the door, a young guy answered but I didn't have a zen moment or anything.'

'That was my big brother Ben,' Dale broke in.

'Anyhow,' Matt continued, 'he assumed I was a friend of "Dale's" and said you'd be back soon. So, I waited.'

'This has to be the weirdest story I've ever heard,' Dale huffed. His eyes grew narrow. 'You sure you're not pranking me? The kid brother of some ex-girlfriend who's got it in for me.'

Matt shook his head vigorously, his bangs bobbing from side to side.

:

'No. I'm from Kermit, Texas. I took a series of buses to get here. Check my ticket stubs. Not to mention my mom and dad will skin me alive for going off like this.'

Dale glanced over in alarm. 'You ran off to come here?'

'I left a note saying not to worry, and I'd call... eventually.'

'Well, it might be a good idea to do that right now, dude. You don't want them to go out of their heads with worry.'

'I suppose,' Matt agreed. Now though, he was absolutely sure the reason for his being here was Dale. Yet knowing it didn't answer the question of why.

'Tell me something about yourself,' the younger boy asked.

Dale lounged back in his seat. 'What's there to tell? Names Dale, as you already know. I'm nineteen, got a big brother -Ben. There's mom and her partner Dave. How about you kid?'

'I'm an only child. Mom's a veterinarian and dad runs a taxi service. That's it. I'm not very interesting.'

:

'Listen, kiddo. This is what we're gonna do. You come up to the house, call your parents, have dinner with us tonight and tomorrow morning I'll see you on the bus back home. That sound okay?'

Matt nodded. Maybe something else would come to him once inside the house. Otherwise he'd be on his way home tomorrow to face his parents, without having a tube to show for his long journey to Springfield.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::

When Lisa Braeden returned from work that night, she almost fainted at the sight of the kid sitting on her sofa next to Dale and Ben.

He was the spittting image of Sam Winchester.

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Lisa's first instinct was of panic, followed by a rush of protectiveness as she took in the sight of her younger son Dale, lounging back on the couch, perfectly at ease at the side of the unknown Sam Winchester lookalike, shelling peanuts and commenting on whatever was on TV.

That the boy was Sam's son there could be no doubt. The face was still that of an adolescent, the hair darker, but the rest was unmistakable.

Above the panic and protectiveness, anger flared up in her and an inbuilt sense of danger added fuel to it.

:

As if it was yesterday, she remembered the words she'd said to Dean when she'd been under Veritas' spell.

'I didn't expect Sam to come back. And I'm glad he's okay. I am. But the minute he walked through that door, I knew it was over. You two have the most unhealthy, tangled-up, crazy thing I've ever seen. And as long as he's in your life, you're never gonna be happy.'

But she had no time to dwell longer on the muddled mix of her memories, as Dale got up and came towards her.

'Uh. Hi mom.'

Her heart missed a beat at his smile, so similar to that of his father, the only difference between him and Dean was the colour of her son's hair, a dirty blond. Her family were all dark-haired, she could only assume the colour came from some unknown grandparent on his dad's side.

Though she'd moved on, had forged a new life for herself in a different city with a loving partner, the past was difficult to put to rest, especially when you had a living breathing reminder.

:

The kid stood up too, hovering at Dale's back, an apology stamped on his face, so similar to the one his father gave her when Dean had made his choice, which had been no choice at all, and had left her to go back to Sam.

'I'm sorry to burst in on you like this, Mrs Braeden, but your son insisted.'

With a sigh, Lisa nodded to the kid. 'It's fine. Dale has a history of looking out for strays. I've lost count of all the schoolyard bullies he took out back in grade school.'

'Mom!' Dale complained, rolling his eyes.

:

She turned away, heading towards the kitchen. She needed a moment to think.

Why was the boy here? How had he found them, no, how had he found Dale? She wasn't foolish enough to believe Sam Winchester's son had turned up here for any other reason than Dale.

She was willing to believe the kid knew nothing of the past, that it was some sort of homing instinct which had brought him here, but whatever it was, it stopped now!

She turned on her heel, a false smile plastered on her face.

:

'So, Dale. Fill me in on your young friend.'

Dale had cooked up a story about Matt having run away from home for a bet he'd lost with a friend at school. He'd ended up sitting on a bench on the sidewalk. Lost and without a cent to his name to get back home.

'So, mom. I said he could spend the night on the couch, and I'd lend him the money for a bus ticket tomorrow morning. Take him to the station and see him on his way. He'll wire me the cash when he gets back to his mom and dad.'

:

Something like relief washed through Lisa, yet at the same time she wondered if it would be quite as easy to get rid of this 'Matt' as Dale said he was called.

'I guess we can manage that for a lost boy,' she smiled.

:

'Ben,' she called to her eldest son. 'Did you get the groceries on the list I left you this morning.'

'Yeah, mom. I stashed it all away.'

:

Ben was home on leave from the army. She'd wanted more for her boy, but he'd insisted on signing up and she'd had to agree. He'd grown into a man, strong and level-headed. A son to be proud of, which she was.

He hadn't seemed to have recognised anything in Matt of his father Sam, though he'd only seen the younger Winchester rarely. For that she was relieved.

'Okay then. Spaghetti Bolognese it is.'

:

She studied the three of them as they ate.

Ben was thirty-two. He wasn't married, though he'd had on and off relationships with a good few women. Like mother, like son, she thought wryly.

She too had struggled to find a steady relationship with a guy. She reckoned she'd finally found that with Dave. She loved him, though it wasn't with the flare of passion she'd felt for past lovers, but she was older and wiser now, and happy with what she had.

:

Dale was chatting to Matt, insisting that taking bets was the most stupid thing in the world unless of course you were one hundred percent sure of winning!

He'd be off to college in the fall. Engineering. Her boy was smart, brighter than Ben. He'd breezed through school with minimum fuss. Though he wasn't the studious type by any means, he had a natural intelligence and an almost photographic memory.

No, she vowed. Sam's offspring wasn't going to interfere in Dale's life. Tomorrow he'd be on a bus back to wherever he'd come from, she wasn't interested where, as long as it was far away from her son.

:

The next morning, Dale ushered Matt into the dated Ford Fiesta. 'It's not much, but it's better than nothing', he shrugged. 'It's all I could afford just doing odd jobs and tutoring kids, even though Mom contributed what she could too.'

'It's great,' Matt answered. 'I'm not really into cars. For me, if they get you from point A to point B, that's all I ask.'

'You're a weird kid, you know that? ' Dale remarked. 'I still can't get over you coming all the way from Texas to Missouri just because of a dream.'

'You can't deny I did find the house I'd been dreaming of,' Matt replied. 'So there must have been something in it.'

'Whatever,' Dale shrugged. 'Maybe you saw the neighbourhood on the news channel or something and it remained in your mind.'

Matt shook his head. 'No. The dreams were very specific, and the address of your house was revealed in stages.'

'Fine. Arguing the point is going to get us nowhere. I've got your number, you mine. When you get back to your parents, give me a call so I know you got home safe and sound.'

:

At the terminus, Dale pressed the bus tickets into Matt's hand and stuffed snacks and cans of soda into his back-pack.

'Okay, squirt,' he grinned, tousling Matt's wild hair. 'At least you won't die of hunger before you get home!'

Matt smiled at him, and Dale felt he was going to miss this kid even if he'd only known him for a day.

'I'll be waiting for that call, understand kiddo?'

:

The teen nodded, feeling as if his journey had been for nothing, as had all the nights he'd had to suffer through those stupid dreams. Not to mention his mom and dad who'd been super-pissed over the phone last night when he'd called to reassure them.

'I suppose I'd better go. The bus'll be leaving in a couple of minutes.'

But the words were all he got out before he fell to his knees on the tarmac, clutching at his head, leaving Dale to look on in horror.

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

Instinctively Dale stretched out his arms to support him.

As he held on to Matt's shoulders, he looked around in panic, not sure what to do. He didn't want to let go of the boy to pull out his phone and call an ambulance, for Matt's hands had come up to grip his jacket. Yet if the kid was having a stroke of some kind, then the longer he waited the more dangerous it could be to his health.

The decision was taken from him as Matt opened his eyes and tried to get to his feet.

'I'm okay,' he muttered. 'I'm okay.'

'You manage to stand on your own?' Dale asked. 'I'm gonna call for help.'

'No. I'm fine,' Matt replied. 'Whatever it was, it hasn't left any consequences, except for a headache.' He passed a hand over his forehead.

'And just how would you know that?' Dale replied. 'You could have a blood clot or something. Get in the car, I'll take you to the ER. I don't want it on my conscience that I didn't get you checked out, if something happens.'

'No. You don't need to. I'm fine now,' Matt insisted. 'I'll rest up on the bus.'

But Dale wasn't taking 'no' for an answer, and half-dragging, half-carrying Matt to his car, he bundled him into the passenger seat.

'Just shut up,' Dale growled. 'Sit there and relax until we arrive.'

:

Accelerating away, he pulled up at the hospital and bustling a recalcitrant Matt into the ER, he explained to the doctor what had happened.

While the medical staff were carrying out the exams, Dale found himself pacing up and down. He hoped to god Matt had just experienced a fainting spell, but what concerned him was the head-pain the kid had felt.

Pulling out his phone, he was about to call his mom, but then he slipped it back into his pocket. There was no use in upsetting her until the results came out.

:

:

'Any news on the kid I came in with?'

The nurse at the desk gave him quick smile. 'Are you a relative?'

'Uh...no. He took a fainting fit at the bus station and I accompanied him here. His parents live in another state.'

'Then we'll have to wait until the doctor comes out and see what he says.'

:

Dale paced for another hour before he saw Matt coming out through the swing doors of the inner sanctum of the ER, a doctor at his heels.

'You're the one who brought Matthew in?' he asked.

'That's right,' Dale confirmed, glancing at the teen. 'How is he, doc?'

'Matt's told me he was here visiting and that his parents live in Texas. However, all the tests we've carried out have come up negative and as such, Matt doesn't want to upset this mom and dad, when there's no damage done. It's a hot day. Could be it was just a dizzy spell.'

Dale wasn't so sure.

Matt had really seemed to be suffering when the 'dizzy spell' hit, but if the doctor had given the kid the all clear, that would have to be good enough for him.

::::::::::::::::::::

'See, I told you,' Matt said as they made their way through the parking lot to Dale's car.

'I don't get why you're so calm about this,' Dale replied turning to glare at him. 'I was the one holding you up, remember, and that was no wussy faint.'

'I was scared too,' Matt replied. 'But even if the pain blasted through my head, I somehow knew it wasn't dangerous.'

'And just how did you work that out, Dr House!'

Matt shrugged. 'Because it was like a dream. Like the ones I had of your house. But they all happened when I was asleep, and there was no pain attached, just a feeling of anxiety and apprehension.'

:

Dale drew the car into the side of the road.

'Are you seriously telling me, you were having a dream back at the bus station?'

Matt rubbed at his forehead. 'More like a vision, I think.'

'A vision! Dude, we're exploring unknown territory here!'

:

Matt targeted him with an ironic glare. 'I found you through dreams, so there has to be something real in what I've seen.'

'I don't know how you can be so calm about all this, ' Dale said in exasperation.

'I'm not,' Matt replied. 'But what do you want me to do? It's not as if I can turn … whatever it is…. off.'

'You gonna tell me what you saw?' Dale asked.

He was at a loss for words. This kid had exploded into his life and Dale honestly didn't know what to do about it.

:

'I saw another house,' Matt muttered.

Dale rolled his eyes.' What the fuck,' he cursed. 'What's with you and houses!'

:

A shrug of the shoulders was the silent reply.

'I already told you, a kid your age should be dreaming ... or having visions of all else!'

But Dale was curious now, despite his scepticism. 'Anything else about this house?'

'It was situated in some backwater countryside. Didn't get much detail other than the building itself. But then, it took a good few nights before I got an exact location for your place, so the details will probably fill themselves in if I wait.'

:

'Then? You gonna go looking for it too?'

'Maybe.

Listen, Dale. You've done more than you should. You don't know me and you certainly don't owe me anything. Take me back to the bus depot. Maybe there's a later one I can catch back home.'

'No way, dude. I'll call mom. School's finished anyway, so I've got time on my hands. Then I've always wanted to see Texas. I'm not going to leave you on your own. You could have another one of those weird turns. I'll drive you back.'

'You don't have to do that, Dale. Really. I'll be fine.'

:

To Dale's surprise his mom sounded absolutely pissed when he told her. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd been on days out with his buddies, and she'd never once objected.

He was nineteen after all, not a newly licensed kid, but she'd practically forbidden him to take Matt home.

That Dale had insisted only seemed to anger her even more.

She must be having an off day at work, he mused to himself as he ended the call with, 'I'll see you in a couple of days or so, mom. I'll call you along the way.'

Puzzled, he took his place behind the wheel of the Ford and headed the car towards the interstate.

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

Dale found himself actually enjoying the journey. He'd never been down this way before, having mostly remained around, or to the north of, Springfield. He reckoned it would be pretty cool to see Texas.

Glancing at his companion, he chuckled at the sight.

Matt was snoring softly, his head flush against the window, the rest of his lanky body folded up like an accordion in the restricted area of the passenger seat.

The kid was tall for his age and Dale's old Ford Fiesta wasn't exactly roomy. It was a tight fit for him too, but money was scarce and any four wheels were better than none.

The clock on the dashboard told him they'd been driving for around six hours. It would take that long again to reach Kermit.

:

At the next diner, he'd draw in and examine their options. He didn't want to waste time getting a room in a motel. If he got really tired, he'd doze a couple of hours in the car.

Matt had offered to drive, but there was no way he was going to allow him. What if he took one of those weird turns while at the wheel? It would be curtains for them both.

Dale's intent was to drop the kid off at his house and make his way back to Springfield as quickly as possible. His mom was pissed, and a pissed mom could make life plenty unpleasant! Not to mention Ben's leave was almost over and Dale wanted to spend some time with his brother before he went off back to the Army.

He was still musing on the weirdness of the entire affair, when the tinkle of a phone echoed through the car.

:

'Hey, Matt,' he called out. 'Your phone's ringing.'

'Uh, right, thanks,' Matt muttered, blinking open eyes still drugged from sleep. He fumbled with his jacket and eventually pulled out his phone.

'It's mom,' he said, glancing hesitantly over at Dale. 'If I tell her I'm on the bus would that be okay….?'

'You tell her what you need to, kid. I'm not gonna be offended if you don't mention me,' Dale replied with a grin.

:

With a nod, Matt accepted the call.

'….'

'Yeah, I'm on my way, Mom. I had to get a later bus. There was a problem with the timetable and the early one was cancelled,' he lied.

':…'

'I know I shouldn't have run off like I did. It was a stupid bet between me and some friends. It won't happen again….'

'….'

'No, there's no need to come and pick me up. I'll get a taxi home.'

'…..'

'Fine. I'll see you then.'

:

Matt closed the connection and sighed. 'Mom's sending dad to pick me up at the bus station. You wouldn't mind dropping me off there, so my story pans out? I'm really sorry to have put you though all this, Dale. I doubt there's many dudes would drive an unknown all the way from Missouri to Texas.

'No problem, I'm enjoying the run. However, I'm gonna hang around until your dad gets a hold of you. Don't want you hopping off somewhere else because of another dream.'

Afterwards Dale could've kicked himself. Why didn't he keep his big mouth shut?

:

Matt gave a low moan and cradled his head in his hands.

'Fuck,' Dale cursed, relieved to see a rest-stop up ahead. He hastily manoeuvred the Ford into the vacant space and turned to the teen.

'Dude! Don't scare me like this! Hey, hey,' he entreated gripping the younger boy's shoulders. 'Better come out of it or I'll drive to the nearest hospital and drag you into the ER again.'

:

A sigh of relief hissed though Dale's lips as Matt came into himself with a shaky exhale.

'I'm okay,' he assured him. 'It seems weird but I'm kind of getting used to this now.'

'Good for you,' Dale commented sarcastically. 'I don't think I ever will.'

'It's a good thing then that we won't see each other again after we get to Texas,' Matt said with a wry smile.

:

Dale didn't understand why, but he felt rather sad at the prospect.

:

'You gonna tell me what happened this time?'

A shrug. 'Always the same thing. A house. But now I've seen its location….'

'You know what, Matt!' Dale burst out. 'Don't say another word! I'm not interested. We're getting back on the road and I'm delivering you to your dad. '

'But…'

'You heard me! I don't want anything more to do with this. Your parents can take over and worry themselves sick about whatever's going on with you.'

:

Dale swung the Fiesta back onto the highway and gave it gas.

He had to get this kid off his hands as soon as possible. It was too cumbersome a burden having him in his care. The idea of turning up in Kermit with Matt dead in the passenger seat because of the freaky visions or whatever they were, was not something he wanted to contemplate.

Matt remained silent after Dale's outburst, even if the older teen could sense that the younger wanted to share what he'd seen.

Despite Dale's impatience to get to Texas, he could feel his stomach complaining.

With a grunt of displeasure, he realised he'd have to stop for food. He wasn't a big eater, but there was still a long road ahead and there was no point in starving themselves.

:

The neon sign for 'Freddie's Family Food' loomed ahead on the roadside and with a turn of the wheel, Dale drove into the parking lot and turned off the engine.

'You hungry?'

Matt nodded. 'I guess.'

'Then, let's go.'

They ordered burgers, Dale a coffee and Matt a soda.

:

'When does the bus you're supposed to be on, arrive at destination?' Dale asked sipping at his coffee. 'If your dad's coming to pick you up, the times should at least coincide with us getting there.'

Matt pulled out his phone and consulted the timetable. 'Well, considering there's a changeover at Dallas with a couple of hours wait—uh. Tomorrow at… 4.30 pm.'

'Gives us plenty time,' the older boy acknowledged. 'We can even stop over in a motel if you need to sleep.'

'Whatever you want, Dale. You're the one who's driving, even if I offered to take over for a while.'

'No way, dude! I drive! According to my calculations there's another six or seven hours to Kermit. I can rest up in the car a while. Don't see the need for a motel.'

:

A silence fell over the two teens as they dined, though Dale could see Matt was all a fidget. He clearly wanted to say something, something that Dale was sure he did NOT want to listen to.

He'd never been particularly intuitive, more of a hands-on, practical guy, but this time his gut was sending out signals. Of… what, Dale couldn't begin to guess.

:

'Dale,' Matt began, squirming in his seat. 'I get you don't want to know what I saw, but it concerns you too.'

The older teen reacted almost violently. 'Maybe you didn't get the message, dude. I'm not interested. I'm taking you home. You can share with your mom and dad.'

:

A stubborn expression came over Matt's features. 'I don't care if you don't want to listen. I'm gonna tell you anyway. For some reason, we seem to have been paired up together. I saw us both approaching the house in my vision. BOTH OF US, Dale,' Matt emphasised, 'and as all the dreams I had before were premonitions of reality, this must be too. We have to go together…'

:

'You're really something, Matt. You know that? Dragging me into some incredible psychic bullshit,' Dale declared. 'Why me?' he asked, truly curious now.

'I don't know,' Matt replied, spreading his arms in confusion. 'All I did was follow the indications of my dreams. Listen, if going to that house can explain everything and put an end to all this, I think we should go see.'

Matt's eyes latched onto his own with a strangely pleading expression, which Dale found difficult to ignore.

'Where is this place,' he asked with a huff.

'South Dakota.'

'The fuck! We're on our way to Texas, if you'd forgotten. You want me to turn around and head back north, another seven hundred miles in the opposite direction. Not to mention leaving your dad at the bus depot waiting for you, just to go off on a wild goose chase!'

Matt hung his head, almost in embarrassment. 'I know I'm asking a lot, but it's important, I swear! You've been good to me, I wouldn't lie to you.'

:

Dale worried at his lower lip with his teeth, almost drawing blood. 'Fine,' he blurted out eventually. 'I'll drive you, but that's it. I kick you on a bus from there and you make your own way back to Kermit or get your dad to drive up and get you.

'Thank you,' Matt answered. 'Don't worry about the cost, I've plenty on my credit card for gas and all the rest.'

'Good for you,' Dale bitched. 'I wish I could say the same. Let's go.'

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

Strangely enough the little Ford Fiesta seemed to eat up the miles as it drew ever closer to South Dakota, the hum of the engine interrupted only by the occasional tinkle of both teens' phones as their parents sent out preoccupied messages, which the boys now duly ignored.

During a rest-stop to stock up with gas and snacks, Dale had messaged his mom telling her he was gonna spent another couple of days sight-seeing with Matt before heading home, while the younger teen was forced to cook up a more complicated, and frankly unbelievable story, saying he'd had an unexpected meeting with one of his school friends on the bus home who'd invited him to stay a couple of days at his house.

Neither Amalia nor Lisa were stupid, they both suspected something strange was going on with their respective sons but aside from being consoled by the fact they were okay, there wasn't much more to be done, other than wait for them to return home.

Whenever that was, there would be a price to pay, both mothers swore firmly!

Though the two women didn't know each other, had never met, a thread linked them, a thread which brought a heavy inheritance with it.

:

:

To Dale's dismay, during the journey Matt had experienced another of his 'visions', presenting him with the final piece of the puzzle. They now had the exact address of the location they were bound for.

Despite all that had, and was happening, Dale felt a thrill buzzing through him.

At the end of the day, this was a trip into the unknown, something unheard of in Dale's day-to-day, suburban life-style.

He glanced over at his companion.

Matt was calm. Other than the frenzied moments when he'd been in the throes of his' vision', he was quiet and thoughtful, spending most of the journey dozing or consulting the map on his smartphone.

:

When they arrived in Sioux Falls it was almost 9.00 pm and despite it being summer, the night had already cast its dark fingers over the rolling landscape.

'Well, here we are,' Dale said tiredly. 'The bustling metropolis of Sioux Falls. Now what?'

:

He turned to Matt, who shrugged. 'I guess we ask for directions to…. uh…. 'Singer's Salvage Yard.'

Dale stared at him, incredulous. 'What? You've been fiddling with that phone the entire journey, how's it possible you haven't worked out the route.'

'For some reason that address doesn't show up on the screen,' Matt replied defensively.

'That's impossible. Every building in the entire fucking world has been mapped by satellites. It must register.'

'Well, it doesn't,' Matt insisted. 'You try, if you don't believe me.'

:

Dale slipped his phone from his pocket and digited in the address. But the screen only blinked 'Not Found'.

'Dude, there's something crazy going on here. You have a vision of a non-existent house, and we've just driven half-way across the country to find out'

'The place exists,' Matt assured him. 'It must!' But he couldn't quash the note of panic in his voice.

With a sigh, Dale rolled his eyes. They were here now, they might as well try everything to find the place. If this had been wild-goose chase, he'd be in the dog-house with his mom for centuries.

:

There were a few people strolling along the sidewalk. Dale waved his hand towards them. 'On you go then, dude. Ask away.'

With a scowl, Matt pushed open the door and stepped out, waiting for a guy who was walking his dog to get closer.

'Excuse-me. We're looking for….Um…. Singer's Salvage Yard. You wouldn't know where we can find it.'

The guy frowned. 'Can't say I've heard of it. Sioux Falls has grown into a big city now. Places like that are probably to be found outside the city limits. Sorry I can't help.'

Helplessly Matt turned back to look at Dale.

'Try again.' Dale advised, 'That was a young guy. He might not be the most interested customer of a salvage yard. There's an older dude coming up. Go for him.'

:

'Yeah, I know where it is,' the senior said. 'Got me a good few parts for my old Cadillac when that old coot Bobby was there, back in the day. He was quite a character, God rest his soul. Place is still in business though.'

Matt gave an inward sigh of relief. His and Dale's journey hadn't been in vain after all.

'Could you give us directions. We need to get there tonight.'

'Sure, son. I can do that.'

'Thanks,' Matt said unleashing a relieved smile at the old man. 'We've come a long way to get here.'

.

Another hour passed before they managed to follow the directions correctly. Dale had turned off when they shouldn't, and they had to waste time circling the city to get back on track.

But, finally, at 10 o'clock, they turned into a gravel-strewn driveway, at the end of which stood a low building. In one of the windows of its dark outline, a light glowed.

:

The teens exchanged glances. 'I hate to say this, Matt. But it kind of reminds me of the Witch's house in Hansel And Gretel.'

It didn't even occur to Matt to disagree. Surrounded by the eerie, mangled piles of rusty cars, that's exactly what it looked like.

'You wanna wait till morning?' Matt asked, a worried frown on his forehead.

'Na. If we find an old hag inside, we'll know to keep away from the oven.'

With a reassuring grin, Dale opened the door and made his way towards the front of the house, Matt at his shoulder. Now that they'd effectively found the mysterious house, he felt more optimistic.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

'Seems we've got a late customer,' Sam said, the sound of a car scrunching its way up the drive plainly audible in the quiet of the evening.

Dean inched the curtain to the side. 'I'm guessing it's not a regular. None of them would be seen driving a go-kart like a Fiesta. They'd walk first.'

Sam rolled his eyes. 'Exaggeration, dude. Could be their kid's car.'

'Uh..Uh,' Dean insisted. 'I know my clients. And none would present themselves in that.'

tbc


	6. Chapter 6

'Uh..Uh,' Dean insisted. 'I know my clients. And none would present themselves in that.'

'If they're not regulars, how did they find the place otherwise? We don't exactly advertise our business,' Sam observed.

His sibling grunted. 'I still think you went a little overboard casting that delocalization spell. If supernatural fuglies want to pay us a visit, I doubt they'd need to use a navigator. Anyway,we've stipulated a non-aggression pact with most of the supernatural world.'

'Still. There's nothing wrong with taking extra precautions,' Sam replied. 'We're not as young as we used to be.'

With a glare, Dean floored his brother. 'Speak for yourself, dude. I'm the coolest fifty-two-year-old on the planet, and I don't need glasses like your four-year-younger ass!'

Sam rolled his eyes. 'If you say so! And if I do need reading glasses it's because you've always lumped all the research on me throughout the years!"

'So not true, dude,' was the indignant reply.

:

The bickering came to an end with a knock at the front door.

Exchanging a cautious look, both men made their way forward.

They'd built the little house to their own 'particular' requirements. Warded and protected with all the sigils and spells they could think of.

There was no resemblance to the one which had stood there years before, Bobby's burnt down residence, except for the panic room in the basement which had resisted even the flames, but Sam and Dean liked to imagine the old hunter would've been more than happy to see the Winchesters living here.

As he moved, Sam palmed his gun and the demon-killing knife from a nearby table, tucking the first into the back of his jeans and the knife in the right-hand pocket. You could never be too careful. Even the most innocent of situations could turn sour.

:

Dean cautiously opened the door and for a moment time stood still.

Four pairs of eyes stared at each other, two looking at their past, two at their future.

'Well,' Sam commented drily when the first, shocked impact had dwindled. 'There's not much doubt as to who's had a hand in that.'

''Yeah,' Dean agreed with a hoarse, incredulous rumble, 'the question is how, when and who?'

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Dale strode right up to the door. He'd noted the movement behind the curtain. 'There's definitely someone inside,' he informed his companion.

Curiously enough it was Matt who was having doubts and second thoughts. 'Maybe you were right, Dale, and this was all a figment of my imagination. Maybe I've been having lucid... whatevers.'

'Dude. You brought us here. The house of your 'dreams' exists. So, I'd rule out hallucinations. I doubt you've ever seen this place on any visual media.'

Matt sighed. 'Maybe. It's just that, before, I was anxious to have my visions confirmed. But now that we're actually here, I'm kind of scared.'

:

But Dale's optimistic mood was in full bloom. He clapped a hand on Matt's shoulder.

'It's gonna be okay, kid. I can sense it. For whatever reason you brought us here, it's nothing we should be afraid of. Then I did martial arts at school. I can kick ass good style.'

Dale didn't feel he had to mention that he'd gotten bored after three lessons; there were other sports more interesting.

Matt glanced at him with a disbelieving twist of his lips, making Dale grin.

:

'Here goes nothing!' Taking a step forward the older teen knocked.

At the sound of footsteps approaching from the other side of the door, the two exchanged nervous glances.

The door swung open and two tall men were reflected in the glow of the lamplight.

:

Four pairs of eyes stared at each other, two looking at their past, two at their future.

Dale's mouth hung open, while Matt blinked his eyes.

As if though a distorted mirror, they were looking at... themselves, older, greyer, but unmistakably them.

:

'Well now,' the shorter of the two, Dale's look-a-like said. 'I guess you'd better come in.'

tbc


	7. Chapter 7

'Well now,' the shorter of the two, Dale's look-a-like, said, 'I guess you'd better come in.'

:

Exchanging wary glances, the two boys hesitated.

Matt was telling himself he should never have dragged Dale into this situation, whatever it was, while Dale began to wonder why he'd allowed everything to get so out of hand.

He should've packed Matt off to Texas without bending to the kid's weird theories.

But turning his head back to study the man holding open the door, so similar to himself, Dale realised that whatever the reason of their journey here, of Matt and his dreams, of the kid coming to Springfield to search him out, these two men would have all the answers.

Now that this can of worms had been opened, he needed to get to the bottom of it.

:

'Sure,' Dale said pushing past the two men into the corridor. 'We've come a long way to be here. I guess some explanations are in order.'

'Not just for you,' the tall guy who looked like Matt commented softly. 'We need answers too.'

:

The short corridor opened into a big open-space family room cum kitchen.

The boys looked around. The furnishings were simple but comfortable.

'Take a seat,' the older man said, nodding towards the table. 'We were just sitting down to eat. Big pot of curry on the stove. You kids hungry? I'm thinking whatever's brought you here can wait another half hour while you eat.'

He nodded to the other man who went over to the stove and stirred the pot, from which a delicious aroma wafted out.

'For some reason Sam made a little extra. He's like that, my brother. Very intuitive.'

:

Once again Dale and Matt exchanged glances. The two men were brothers.

The teens felt as if they were in some weird Alice in Wonderland sit-com, where there were plenty of questions but no answers. And instead of the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts, two men who looked exactly like them.

Speaking up for the first time, Matt nodded. 'We've been eating snacks and stuff but I wouldn't say no to a plate of curry.'

The older dude smiled at him then, a smile that spoke of fondness, as if the guy had an intimate knowledge of him, and though he felt stupid even thinking it, of... love.

'Uh, don't think we introduced ourselves,' Dean said. 'Name's Dean, and that gigantor back there's my brother Sammy.'

'I'm Dale.' the cockier boy said.

'Matt,' the scrawny kid declared.

'Okay, now that we've dispensed with the pleasantries, what do you say we eat?'

:

Sam put bowls of curry down in front of them all, opened the fridge and set cans of soda and a jug of water on the table.

'Help yourselves, kids,' he smiled, before sitting down next to his brother.

Once again, Matt and Dale were overcome by the strangeness of the situation. Settling down to eat with two strangers they'd just met who looked exactly like them. Yet neither teen felt in any danger.

'So,' Dean ventured when they'd eaten their fill,' I guess it's time to parley. You guys like coffee?'

Cups in hand the teens settled themselves on the nearby couch while Sam and Dean leaned back on their chairs, waiting.

:

'Uh,' Matt stuttered, embarrassed to talk about the dreams he'd been having, but they were the reason he and Dale found themselves here.

'It all started when I began having these dreams. At first only of a house, then they intensified until I got an actual location. I don't know why I even gave them any credit but I did.

I left a note for my parents and went to Springfield. The place in my dreams. And there I ran into Dale. My dream house was his mom's home.'

:

'What's your mom's name,' Sam asked in a whisper of a voice, afraid, yet curious to have confimation of who she was.

'Amelia Richardson.'

'Well, well, 'Dean whistled. 'Surprise, surprise, Sammy. And you Dale?' He targeted the other kid with his green-eyed stare

Dale shrugged 'I took Matt to the station to see him on a bus back to Texas but he took a dizzy spell, or so I thought. I was scared it was a stroke or something so I yanked him off to the ER. Didn't want him to take ill on the bus home. The doc said he was fine. But I still didn't want to risk it, so I decided to drive him back to Kermit myself.

On the way, he had another vision, of this place here. He was determined to come even though we were half-way to Texas by this time. I was completely against it. I just wanted to get Matt back to his parents, safe and sound, but he's as stubborn as a mule, so I gave in. And here we are.'

'So, your mom's called Amelia, and your dad?' Sam broke in.

'His name's Don,' Matt answered.

Sam merely nodded.

:

And you're Dale...? Dean asked

'Braeden.'

'I should've guessed,' Dean said, glancing at his brother.

Sam sighed. There was no doubt in his mind. The two teens were his and Dean's sons. Cousins.

A complication the Winchesters could have done without. Not to mention poor Matt had inherited some version of his visions.

What was it Ruby had said to him all those years ago. 'You didn't need a feather to fly.'

No, maybe he hadn't after all.

:

Sam and Dean stared at each other, and the teens could've sworn they were talking with their eyes, but it only lasted a moment before Dean asked Dale a question.

'Did your mom meet Matt, kid?'

'Yeah and it was so strange. She seemed to take an instant dislike to him.'

Dean gave a low grunt. Yeah, I thought she might.'

'You knew my mom?' he asked Dean.

'Yeah.. and Ben too. How is he?'

By this time though, Matt had put two and two together. 'You're our real dads, Aren't you?

:

tbc


	8. Chapter 8

'You're our real dads, aren't you?'

There was a silence in the room, Matt's question hung in mid-air like an unwanted intruder, until Sam, in a hesitant voice, gave it a reply.

'From your appearance and from the fact we knew your moms, I'm guessing the answer has got to be yes,' he said eventually.

:

Instantly, Dale jumped to his feet and began to pace. 'I had a father but I was forced to grow up without one.'

He turned to face Dean, anger making his entire body tremble. 'Why didn't you ever get in touch?' he yelled 'You didn't care you had a son? You fucker!'

'Dale,' Matt broke in, yanking on his arm as he passed. 'Stop! We don't know crap. Don't judge before you know the whole story.'

:

But Dale turned on the younger boy with a snarl. 'Shut up, dude! What's there to know? Or have your shitty visions told you how much these two love us? Truth is, I have a dad who cared so little about his son that he never even took the trouble to see how he turned out.'

'That's enough,' Dean ordered. 'You're pissed. I get it. But as your sidekick says, you have to hear the whole story first before passing judgement.'

:

Two pairs of green eyes glared at each other, then the younger of the two dropped his gaze and slumped back down on the couch beside Matt.

:

'We didn't know about you kids,' Sam said, his calm voice wafting through the room. 'You're as much a surprise to us as we are to you.'

'How can that be?' Matt asked, his brow scrunched up in a frown. 'You said you knew our moms?'

The Winchesters exchanged a concerned glance. Just how much would they have to tell these boys?

'You go first, Sammy,' Dean said. 'It might be easier.'

Sam didn't quite agree, but they had to start somewhere. Dale and Matt had a right to know—well- some of the story at least.

'Your mom and I had a relationship once. We even set up house together.'

'But,' Matt objected quickly. 'Mom has a husband. Did she have a fling with you?'

'No.' Sam gave a wry smile. 'When your mom and I met, Don had been given as missing in action. She believed he was dead. We were both going through a bad period and we sort of bonded.'

He glanced over at his brother, the Purgatory affair still stung a little, even after all these years, but Dean just shrugged.

:

'Then, Amelia received a letter from the Military saying Don had been found and was on his way home,' Sam continued. 'Your mom didn't feel she could desert him after all he'd been through, so we broke up. I swear I had no idea she was pregnant and she never got in touch to let me know.'

'Maybe she lost your phone number or something,' Matt said, unwilling to believe his mom had kept this secret from him.

'Perhaps,' Sam nodded, just as reluctant to paint the boy's mom in a bad light. 'Or maybe she just wanted you to have a mom and dad right there who loved you. Your parents do love you, don't they?'

'I suppose,' Matt admitted grudgingly. 'Still, she should have told me.'

And me, Sam mused silently to himself. The kids were his and Dean's sons, and that could put them in danger, not to mention the fact that Matt had begun to have visions.

:

'What about you?' Dale asked, waiting for Dean to give his version.

'I wasn't much older than you when I met Lisa for the first time,' he began. 'We were both kind of tipsy. It was a one-night stand. Then after a few years we ran...into…each other again. Ben was only a boy.'

A fond smile came over the older man's face as he thought back to the cute kid Lisa's son had been.

:

He sighed before continuing. 'Then, years later, something bad happened to Sam. Your mom and I met for the third time and decided to have a go at a stable relationship. Things were more serious between us. We lived together for months.

At the end of the day, it didn't work out. Sometimes it happens. Luckily enough, Sam got though his bad moment and we got back together again.

Just like Sammy, I had no idea your mom was expecting a baby.'

:

'Would you have cared if she'd told you?' Dale asked, his tone sceptic.

'If I would have cared? The answer's yes. I would've cared a lot. But I can't say how things would have evolved. My brother and I have had a…hectic… life.

Dale huffed. 'Is that a diplomatic way of saying you'd never have shown up anyway?'

'No,' Dean replied honestly. 'I'm saying our lives have been so fucked up that I couldn't say what would have happened.'

:

'You say that as if you have no control over your actions?' Matt commented confused.

'He's definitely your son, Sammy. Always with the questions,' Dean sighed.

:

'Listen kids. You've phoned home? Your parents know you're okay? Don't let them worry,' Sam said, ignoring Dean's jibe.

'You can stay here tonight and start off home fresh and bright tomorrow,' Dean added.

'What? This is it? We've just discovered our real dads and all you want to do is get rid of us?' Dale's anger flared up again. He jumped to his feet and ran through the front door into the dark of the yard.

:

For the umpteenth time, Sam and Dean exchanged unsure glances, while Matt looked on thoughtfully.

'Do you know why I've been getting these...visions..?' he asked.

Sam sat down on the couch next to his son, debating what he should say, but he reckoned a part of the truth was always better than an outright lie.

'Yeah. Maybe because I had them too.'

tbc

'


	9. Chapter 9

'Yeah. Maybe because I had them too.'

Matt's eyes grew wide as saucers. 'Do you still have them?'

'Good question,' Sam replied. 'One I don't have a ready answer to. I had them for a certain... scope, and once that scope was reached, they stopped. But to be honest I'm not sure that if I opened my mind to them, they might appear again.'

:

'You don't want that to happen?'

'No, Matt. I don't. They've never brought me anything but pain.'

'But mine allowed me to find Dale and... you. Do you think that was the scope of my visions?'

'Maybe,' Sam replied cautiously.

'Isn't it amazing that he's turned out to be my cousin?' Matt continued with a smile. 'I didn't have any.'

:

Sam kept his silence, but he was afraid that his and Dean's sons, finding each other, was no coincidence, visions or no visions.

'Does your brother have visions too?' Matt asked.

Sam gave a loud snort. 'One in the family's enough.'

Matt looked him in the eye. 'That makes two in the family now.'

It was the moment in which it really hit Sam that Matt was his son, his flesh and blood. Until then, the two kids turning up at the salvage yard had seemed more of a fairy-tale than real life. A wave of protectiveness washed over him. He'd brought this child into the world, it was his duty to look out for him.

:

Matt's gaze was still on him and the boy must have sensed that something had shifted in their relationship, for he smiled.

'You're my dad, my real dad.'

'Guess I am, ' Sam agreed, unleashing an identical grin. 'Though I thought we'd already established that!'

:::::::::::::::::::::::

Dean had followed Dale out into the yard. The boy's outline merged with the car's he was leaning back on, the moon illuminating his features with its silver rays.

'Hey.' Dean said. 'You gotta curb that temper, kid.'

'Do I? Why?'

Dean shrugged before taking his place on the car's hood next to his son.

'Because it makes interpersonal relationships that much easier.'

:

A hoarse snuffle came from the boy's throat. 'I don't usually lose my temper. But it seems all this has made it float to the surface. My entire life has been a lie.'

'Don't be such a drama queen, dude! You remind me of my brother. Sam's the biggest one on the planet,'

Dale stared at him, taken aback. 'I'd say he was more of a giant than a drama queen.'

He's both,' Dean grinned.

:

'So, I'm your dad, huh? Hope you're not too disappointed.'

'You could be a serial killer for all I know,' Dale sighed.

:

When Dean didn't reply, the kid stared at him. 'You…aren't…. are you?'

'No, I'm not a serial killer.'

'Thank god for that! So, what do you do for a living?'

'I'm retired,' Dean answerd with a curl of his lip.

'You look too young to be retired,' Dale frowned.

:

'I had a… backbreaking job. Couldn't do it any more.'

'What was it?' Dale insisted, curious now.

'Can't tell you otherwise I'd have to kill you,' Dean winked.

'Ha, ha! However, there's definitely something strange going on. It's a weird coincidence that two brothers father two kids and neither of them knew anything about it.'

:

'You don't know the half of it,' Dean mumbled.

:

'What? I didn't catch that.'

'C'mon back inside. Sammy'll be worried about us, out here in the dark all alone.'

Dale rolled his eyes but good-naturedly followed Dean back into the house.

:

'Dale. Where did you go? ' Matt asked, as his cousin appeared in the doorway.

'He was just having a moment,' Dean replied. 'He's fine now. Aren't you dude?'

'I suppose.'

'Listen, you kids must be whacked. Why don't we postpone everything until tomorrow? Things always look different in the daylight,' Sam broke in.

'Good idea. Come on, guys. I'll show you the spare room. You can keep yourselves busy making up the beds.'

With an audible grumble, both teens followed Dean into the bedroom, leaving Sam to stare after them as they went..

:

'So, Sammy. Any suggestions,' Dean sighed, flopping down onto the couch beside his brother.

'Kids asleep?'

'They're on the beds. That's all I can say.'

Sam lowered his voice. 'What are we going to do about them, Dean?'

'Send them home. What else?'

'Dean. If there wasn't a reason for them being here, they would still BE at home!'

'You think it's supernatural, don't you, Sam? Something, or someone, out to use our sons when we didn't allow ourselves to be used.'

'We did get used, Dean! Just maybe not in the way the fuckers had in mind. We have to protect them.'

'And how do we do that, huh? By telling them the truth about what's out there.'

:

Sam passed a hand through his hair, still the tousled mess it used to be, only with white streaks among the chestnut. 'Maybe. If dad hadn't brought us up in the life, we'd have been even more defenceless against the angels and demons than we were.'

'The knowledge would destroy their lives, Sam.'

'Yeah, but it might save them too.'

:

'It's been an eventful evening, dude. It's not every day you discover you have a son, and…. a nephew, so I need to sleep on it.' Dean got up and made his way towards the door. 'You comin'?'

'I won't be long, Dean. I'm going to take a shower first.'

'Don't stay up all night, Sammy!' He knew that when his sibling was worried, he'd forget all about sleep. 'As soon as I hear the shower turn off, I'll come get you,' Dean warned.

Sam rolled his eyes. 'Give me ten minutes.' He knew Dean's wasn't just a threat. The idiot would come for him!

Anyhow, he was pretty tired. He wasn't going to argue. Getting old was a bitch!

tbc

'


	10. Chapter 10

Effectively, the two young Winchesters were on the beds, but sleep was far away, even if they were tired to the bone after the long drive and the surprise which had awaited them.

''What do you think, Dale?' Matt asked, turning onto his side to face the older teen.

'Weird, dude,' was Dale's laconic reply. 'Though I can go with those two not knowing about us, our moms sure knew about Sam and Dean. They obviously had sex with them. Why didn't they tell us who our true dads were?'

Matt sighed. 'I believed my dad was Don. He's been a great parent. The poor guy's gonna be hurt when he finds all this out.'

'Why?' Dale asked curious. 'Did your dad think you were his real son?'

'I guess,' Matt replied. 'He used to say that as soon as he came home from the war, mom fell pregnant with me right away. I guess she never told him about Sam.'

'Fuck,' Dale commented, 'he's gonna be miserable when he finds out.'

:

'Maybe we should forget about all this, Dale. Just go home and tell our parents we went on a road-trip or something.'

There was silence in the room for a moment as each teen considered their situation

'I don't think I can,' Dale declared quietly. 'You, your visions, Sam and Dean, the secrets surrounding our birth. There's a bigger picture behind it all. I can feel it.'

'Did you notice all the books on that back wall? Dozens and dozens of ancient looking tomes. Why would two guys living in the middle of nowhere need so many books?' Matt mused.

'Maybe they're retired school-teachers?' Dale chuckled.

Matt rolled his eyes. 'Two people who look less like teachers, I've never seen.'

'I don't know. Your dad looks pretty studious,' Dale said thoughtfully.

'And yours like a gang boss,' Matt replicated with a snort.

'He isn't, dude! I asked him. But I get the impression he's a tough guy, one who's afraid of nothing.'

:

'Yeah, well, I'm tired, Dale,' Matt sentenced all of a sudden. 'We can decide what to do tomorrow.'

A few minutes later a soft snoring could be heard coming from the other bed, the kid was in la-la land already.

But sleep didn't come so easily to Dale. This entire situation was puzzling. It certainly wasn't the first time a son found out his dad wasn't the one he'd always believed, but usually that didn't come about via a new-found cousin and his freaky visions.

Despite his worries, Dale eventually surrendered to sleep like his companion.

:

Their fathers weren't any less troubled.

Dean would never have believed he'd be presented with a son at this late stage in his life, and he knew Sam was just as taken aback.

The teens resembled their younger selves so much, it was almost eerie, like looking through a mirror into the past.

But things were no longer as they had been then.

He and Sam had tied up all the loose ends before taking themselves off to Sioux Falls, rebuilding over Bobby's old place, to live out the rest of their lives as far from the supernatural as possible.

There were fewer monsters around than years back, the Gates of Hell had been closed, the archangels neutralized.

It had to be a mere coincidence that the teens had found them.

Sam had passed his visions onto his son and ...well... blood calls to blood…But that was as far as it went.

:

Tomorrow they'd pack the kids off back to their families. They'd stay in touch of course, but there hadn't been time for a deep relationship to form between them all yet, so the separation wouldn't have the trauma which was always present any time he and Sam were apart.

Thank god, Dean mused wryly. His relationship with his brother was a blessing and a curse. They simply couldn't live their lives without the other by their side. They'd accepted it, interiorized it, were happy with it, however abnormal their co-dependency might seem to others.

No, Dean decided. There was nothing to be gained by keeping Dale and Matt here. They shouldn't have to know about the supernatural. They deserved to live out their lives like any other kids, not be burdened by horror and fear.

:

:

It was early morning when Sam rolled out of bed, the sun's rays rendering the sky pink with its first blushes.

He bustled around in the open-space kitchen, trying to keep as quiet as he could, but clearly not quiet enough, for when he turned it was to see Dale standing across from the table.

'Gave me start,' Sam said. 'Thought you kids would be out of it for a while yet.'

Dale shrugged. 'Matt's still sleeping. I guess all that vision stuff takes it out of you.'

'Yeah, I guess.'

'Matt told me you have them too,' Dale continued.

'Used to,' Sam replied. 'When I was a bit older than you, then they stopped.'

:

'Listen, I know there's something going on here. A bigger picture. And I think you know it too,' Dale said shrewdly.

'Why do you think that?'

'Come on dude! Visions? Ones that bring Matt to me, then both of us to you. You can't deny the obvious.'

:

Sam switched on the coffee machine. He didn't have a pat answer for Dale.

Dean was of the opinion it was better not to tell the teens the truth of what was out there. Sam wasn't sure if he agreed, but he did understand where Dean was coming from.

But just as Dale had expressed doubts about this affair being normal, Sam had to agree with him.

:

He turned and stared at Dale, really studying him, not caring that the kid might feel embarrassed by his scrutiny.

He looked so much like a young Dean that Sam felt his eyes moistening.

But this boy hadn't had to live the life of terror and despair Dean had, he hadn't been forced into the role of father and mother, as well as brother. Yet, instinctively, he sensed that Dale would've been as able to bear those burdens as his sibling had.

Suddenly Sam knew what to say.  
'You deserve an answer, Dale. If you're anything like your father, you do need to be aware of certain things, but it's not a decision I can take on my own. Dean has to be on-board too, and for the moment he isn't. We'll just have to see how things work out before you and Matt head off home.'

'And what if we don't?' Dale declared with a hint of challenge, now that Sam had practically admitted there was a back story to it all. 'What if we want to stay here with you, get to know our dads.'

'I don't know if that's a good idea,' Sam huffed. 'I…'

:

'That freshly-brewed coffee I smell? ' Dean asked, strolling bare-footed into the room.

Dale turned at the sound of his voice. 'Hey…uh…dad,' he ventured, not sure if Dean would be good with being called that.

But the oldest Winchester rolled with it. 'Morning, son,' he replied with a lilting smile.

tbc


End file.
